The 24-hour urinalysis according to Loomis is a very important part of my method to determine enzyme deficiencies. Let me tell you why I think it is such an important test and how it differs from other urinalyses. First, do not confuse this test with the 24-hour urinalysis test that is done by medical doctors to determine kidney function, or with the Reams urinalysis test, which is based on a single random catch and varies widely according to whether the person has recently eaten. Urine samples collected every two hours will be significantly different. Everything changes: the pH, specific gravity, calcium content, and so on. This test is not a medical diagnostic test.

The Loomis method requires collection of all urine produced in 24-hours. These fluctuations are averaged to give a complete picture of digestive and absorptive functions. Looking at a Loomis 24-hour urinalysis is also a sneaky way of peeking at the blood (the ECF or extracellular fluid). Why? The blood holds nutrients it needs and dumps what it doesn’t want into the urine. If a substance does not appear in the urine, we know the blood needs it and has kept it. Conversely, sometimes we see higher levels of substances in the urine than should be there, plus things that shouldn’t be there at all (abnormal solutes). This tells us that the blood has dumped them. The blood also takes what it needs from the cells. In fact, cells will sacrifice themselves to the blood in order to maintain homeostasis. Also, the blood dumps what it doesn’t want into cells. So, if we see no-no’s in the urine, we know that these same no-no’s are in the cells.

Let me describe what we measure in this 24-hour urinalysis. Except for the chemstick, which reveals abnormal solutes, this test is prognostic rather than diagnostic. In other words, you can predict what lies ahead if you do not clean up your diet and digestion act. Enzyme deficiencies lead to deviations in the normal physiology characterized by inflammatory conditions. If left untreated, these conditions may lead to diseases.

In the following discussion, I have listed the most common concerns. I want to tell you just how much information can be gleaned from this simple test.

The pH:When a healthy person eats, the urine becomes alkaline from the alkaline tide, the body’s method of dumping alkalinity to compensate for HCl losses during digestion. In a healthy person, a first morning urine is very acidic because of the prior eight hours of fasting during sleep. The acid reserves are then released during the first meal and the urine then becomes alkaline. In a 24-hour volume, the average pH range in a healthy person is from 6.3 to 6.7. Most people are more acidic (lower pH) than 6.3, while fewer are more alkaline (higher pH) than 6.7. Of the two, it’s better to be more acidic than alkaline because the body has more buffer systems to handle excess acidity than excess alkalinity. The further from normal the 24-hour pH is, the more potential problems. For example, excess alkalinity leads to calcium metabolism problems, anxiety, immune dysfunction and indications connected with protease deficiency.

On the other hand, excess acid reserves mean not enough alkalinity is present to activate pancreatic enzymes in the duodenum.

Specific Gravity compared to Volume:The normal 24-hour volume should be greater than 800 ml and less than 2400 ml with an optimum range of 1200 to 1800 ml. Five cups is equivalent to 1182 ml and 8 cups to 1892 ml. People should drink enough liquids daily to give an optimum urine volume but forced liquid intake is not healthy. The kidneys can only handle about 1/2 cup an hour, so its better to sip than to glug!

You can determine kidney function or lack of it by comparing the urine volume to the specific gravity. However, the extent of kidney damage cannot be determined by this test and a physician should be consulted in such cases. Just by comparing the specific gravity to the volume, we can determine the following [where I refer to medical conditions or terms in the following, I am doing so only for convenience; where a medical condition is indicated, you should consult with your physician]:

Oliguria: (inadequate urine volume of less than 800 ml) may mean the patient is not drinking enough liquids, is dehydrated, has overactive adrenal glands, impaired circulation (edema), or is recovering from fever, vomiting or diarrhea.

A high specific gravity with a high or normal urine volume: indicates the presence of abnormal solutes such as glucose (diabetes), protein (kidney disease) and so on. Which solutes can be determined by looking at the Chemstick, described below.

A low specific gravity with a low or normal urine volume: indicates difficulty concentrating the urine. This means that the kidneys are not cleansing the blood due to a congested lymphatic system. This can produce swollen glands, allergy, low back pain, frontal headaches, and nausea. In women, these may worsen during menses or pregnancy, and may lead to vomiting during either time. There is a special enzyme formulation for this, which contains enzymes plus herbs, which nourish the kidneys and help relieve lymphatic congestion.

Chlorides:The normal person will dump chlorides to compensate for excess acid reserves or hold chlorides to compensate for excess alkaline reserves. Thus, normally we should see a low (acid) pH with high urinary chlorides or a high (alkaline) pH with low urinary chlorides. There are common variations of these patterns. For example, people can become potassium deficient because of a junk food diet or taking diuretics. This produces an acid pH with low chlorides and polyuria. Low pH plus low urinary chlorides without polyuria is observed in individuals who are salt deficient.

Calcium:Of all the nutrients measured in the urine, the calcium level is the hardest to correct because of the many requirements of calcium metabolism, including normal pH, adequate protein digestion, proper hormonal balance plus certain vitamins and minerals. Most of the patients I test are low in calcium, including those who eat organic whole foods and take calcium supplements. The only way to maintain adequate calcium is to eliminate refined foods which have been stripped of most nutrients, optimize digestion and balance the endocrine (hormonal) system.

Vitamin C:Vitamin C is a threshold substance, meaning it is not excreted until the ascorbic acid level in the blood exceeds a certain value related to the degree of tissue saturation. Vitamin C deficiency is very common in people who eat refined foods, women during pregnancy and lactation, children, immune suppressed people and people with many diseases. The most common results of this deficiency include fatigue, joint pain, bleeding gums and adrenal exhaustion.

Most people confuse ascorbic acid and ascorbates with vitamin C. They are not the same. Ascorbic acid is the antioxidant portion of the vitamin C complex. Many people who take megadoses of ascorbates show severe vitamin C deficiency in this test. The enzyme formula for vitamin C contains a food source of vitamin C and no ascorbic acid or ascorbates. I have seen severe vitamin C deficiencies corrected in days with this enzyme formula.

Indican: The indican level tells about your digestion is. The higher the indican, the greater the need for colon cleansing and food enzyme therapy. Partially digested food may directly enter the blood causing allergic reactions, or remain in the colon where it putrefies (rots), forming a group of toxic phenolic substances called indican. Although the undigested food never goes back into the blood from the colon, the indican does and must be detoxified by the liver. But the liver can’t detoxify all of the indican. What is not detoxified passes through the kidneys and can be measured in the urine. The higher the indican level, the worse the potential problems, such as gas, diarrhea, constipation, halitosis, incompetent ileocecal valve, hiatal hernia, skin problems, breast pathology, sciatica and even cancer. Dr. Ian Immerman found over 100 different conditions associated with high indican levels. While the indican should be low, a zero indican is not good and it indicates severe sugar intolerance, because undigested sugar interferes with the indican test.

Sediment:The sediment test can help determine the multiple digestive enzymes needed. A normal 24-hour urine has about 1/2-ml of sediment, the "ash" resulting from digestion, absorption and assimilation of foods. A normal sediment is calcium phosphate, the result of carbohydrate metabolism. Malabsorption, decreased cell permeability and sugar intolerance reduce the sediment, sometimes to a trace. A high sediment means poor use (assimilation) of food and indicates nutrient deficiencies as well as fat and protein intolerance. Urinary sediment increases with fat or protein intolerance due to the presence of oxalates (fat intolerance) and uric acid (protein intolerance) in addition to the phosphates normally present.

In addition to enzyme formulas for fat and sugar intolerance, there is a multiple digestive enzyme for maintenance in adults with good digestion, and a formula to help relieve gastric irritation, including ulcers.

Abnormal Solutes:This is the only part of the urinalysis test that is routinely done in a pathology lab. A chemstrip is dipped into the urine to check for abnormal solutes such as glucose (diabetes), blood, protein (kidney disease), bilirubin (liver pathology), nitrites (bacteria) and so on. This test is very important for me because it tells me when I should refer an individual to a medical doctor for a pathological condition.

1) If this ingredient is made in North America it is likely to be gluten-free.

3) The problem with caramel color is it may or may not contain gluten depending on how it is manufactured. In the USA caramel color must conform with the FDA standard of identity from 21CFR CH.1. This statute says: the color additive caramel is the dark-brown liquid or solid material resulting from the carefully controlled heat treatment of the following food-grade carbohydrates: Dextrose (corn sugar), invert sugar, lactose (milk sugar), malt syrup (usually from barley malt), molasses (from cane), starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof (can include wheat), sucrose (cane or beet). Also, acids, alkalis and salts are listed as additives which may be employed to assist the caramelization process.

4) Can utilize a gluten-containing grain or by-product in the manufacturing process, or as an ingredient.

5) Most celiac organizations in the USA and Canada do not believe that wheat starch is safe for celiacs. In Europe, however, Codex Alimentarius Quality wheat starch is considered acceptable in the celiac diet by most doctors and celiac organizations. This is a higher quality of wheat starch than is generally available in the USA or Canada.

Manfred, at 80 years old, has enviable health and an infectious zest for life. He has always been an active man who exercises daily, operates a landscaping business, and bakes delicious and crispy rye bread. He fell ill suddenly with ulcerative colitis,a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine. Manfred was hospitalized and given steroids to reduce intestinal inflammation. When his condition finally stabilized, Manfred still experienced terrible bouts of diarrhea. Having lived healthfully until this point, Manfred did not want to spend the rest of his life on medications which left him physically unsettled, but there seemed to be no other choice.

Working with the appropriate holistic practitioner, Manfred realized his condition was a direct result of being of gluten intolerant. The ulcerative colitis was healed, and Manfred is back to building, gardening, and baking, though now he bakes gluten-free!

What is gluten?

Gluten and gliadin are proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye that give flour its elasticity and is also a popular food additive. This is why gluten is such a heavily used additive in baked goods, cereals, malt, caramel flavorings, and pastas. Gluten and gliadin can be found in cookies, breads, pastas, anything that uses flour and even certain types of alcohol.

Warning Signs of Gluten Intolerance and Celiac disease

This may surprise you, but 60 percent of people with gluten intolerance do not have digestive problems. This is why it is important to be aware of other potential symptoms and talk with your health care provider if you have any concerns.

1. Diarrhea, flatulence, bloating, constipation, nausea, vomiting. These digestive symptoms, along with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) are among the most widely known reactions to gluten intolerance, though surprisingly not the most common.

2. Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Most gastroenterologists believe there is no known cure for these conditions, yet many people diagnosed with IBS or discovering they are gluten intolerant have complete recoveries after removing gluten from their diets.

3. Implicated in neurological disorders such as unexplained numbness and tingling in the extremities, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and even epilepsy. Undetected gluten intolerance can affect the body neurologically and can trigger the onset of many related disorders.

4. Implicated in autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus and Type I Diabetes among others.

5. Mouth ulcers, are a clear sign of an exhausted immune system. When your body is combating an allergen, it has limited reserves left to protect against viruses and infections.

7. Fibromyalgia, bone and joint pain. A reaction to gluten can affect even the bones and joints.

8. Frequent headaches or migraines. Digestive inflammation due to an allergen can result in headaches. The headaches may not disappear until the dietary issue is addressed.

9. Chronic fatigue. Feeling under the weather is often a direct result of an unresolved gluten intolerance. The body exhausts itself fighting off the allergen, and little energy remains to carry out day-to-day activities.

10. Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder disease has also been connected to undetected gluten intolerance.

11. Psoriasis and other skin disorders. Surprisingly, gluten intolerance can manifest even in our skin.

12. Abnormal menses, infertility, miscarriage. Gluten intolerance can affect women’s reproductive systems and ability to carry a child to term. Past miscarriages for unknown reasons, could be a sign of an undetected gluten intolerance.

Implications of Gluten Intolerance: Important Things to Know

It is estimated that 1 in 7 people in the U.S. are gluten intolerant.

Discovering and treating gluten intolerance early is extremely important. Besides the symptoms mentioned above, those with gluten intolerances run the risk of the following complications, often due to the fact that gluten intolerance is usually left undiagnosed until most people are 50 years old or older.

Gluten intolerance has a genetics connection. Most people do not inherit a trait for gluten intolerance. It is usually an acquired allergy. However, by becoming gluten intolerant, it is possible to change genetic expression in a single generation and pass that tendency on to children.

On average it takes about 5 practitioners to diagnose a gluten intolerance.

60 percent of those with gluten intolerance do not exhibit symptoms of a compromised digestive system.

If diagnosed after 10 years old, there is a 1 in 4 chance of developing an autoimmune disorder like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hachimoto's Thyroidistis, Parksinson's disease or lupus.

Celiac diseaseis the most severe form of gluten intolerance. Inflammation caused by the allergic reaction to gluten and gliadin permanently erodes the lining (villi) of the small intestine, severely impeding nutrient absorption.

Though Celiac disease often begins during childhood, it is usually not diagnosed until adulthood. The longer the condition continues unchecked, the more susceptible the body is to other autoimmune disorders. Celiac disease can be diagnosed through a biopsy of the small intestine which shows the atrophy of the villi (see image below). It can also be diagnosed by testing for an allergen-specific blood test.

An image highlighting a healthy digestive tract on the left, and a digestive tract that has been worn down due to gluten consumption in someone who suffers from Celiac disease. The villi, which are the seaweed-like structures in the left figure, are responsible for capturing and transmitting nutrients to the rest of the body. Since the entire trunk-like body of the villi is utilized in this process, when they are worn down they are much less functional. Celiac disease sufferers are defined as those who have unhealthy, deteriorated villi.

Gluten Sensitivity, Intolerance and Celiac Disease are delayed allergic responses to the proteins gluten and gliadin. This allergic reaction inflames the small intestine, the effects of which can be felt all throughout the entire body. Over time, this inflammation causes the villi, which line the small intestines, to atrophy. The villi, which look like shag carpeting, are primarily responsible for nutrient absorption. If the villi deteriorate, the body will be challenged to absorb nutrients. When the villi are severely compromised, Gluten Intolerance becomes Celiac Disease. Therefore, a gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease are the same illness, differing only in severity. A Gluten sensitivity or intolerance is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all because most doctors only test for Celiac disease. This is why most people who are gluten intolerant do not test positive for Celiac disease. The treatments for Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are the same- the complete elimination of gluten from your diet.

Leaky Gut syndrome & its effect on food allergies

Gluten intolerance creates inflammation. This inflammation leads to leaky gut syndrome and creates an environment for secondary food allergies.Leaky gut syndrome refers to digestive disturbances and infections caused by severe inflammation of the intestine. This inflammation affects the integrity of the “gut” wall and allows for increased permeability in the intestinal walls. Partially digested food enters into the blood stream through small openings between the cells in the intestinal lining where it is then met by a hostile immune system. The body produces an increasing amount of antibodies to fight the food we eat, and the food bound with the antibody continually pass from the intestine to the blood stream. Thus, gluten intolerance may lead to the development of other food allergens. Only by removing the allergen can “leaky” guts heal, beginning the process of improved health. Leaky gut syndrome can be due to many different food allergies, but gluten intolerance is particularly damaging.

Your Pathway to Healing:

A. Identify. We cannot begin to heal until we know what ails us. There are many different paths to discovery.

1. Food elimination: a cost-effective, yet slow and cumbersome tool. By removing gluten from your diet for a month or two you can discover whether or not you have a gluten intolerance.

2. Biopsy: A biopsy of the small intestine is effective in testing for Celiac disease and is one of the most common screening tools, but does not detect gluten intolerance nor other potential food allergens that may have developed due to Leaky Gut syndrome. Since the effects and treatments of gluten intolerance and Celiac disease are ultimately the same, this test is extremely ineffective.

3. Blood test: Ann Arbor Holistic Health recommends a comprehensive 96 food allergy panel. This blood test checks for allergic reactions to gluten, gliadin as well as wheat, rye and barley. It also screens for any other secondary food allergies that can result from Leaky Gut Syndrome. There are other blood tests available that can screen for Celiac disease as well as other aspects of gluten intolerance.

B. Eliminate. After we discover gluten intolerance and other secondary food allergies, the appropriate foods can be removed from the diet for amazing results.

2. Enteric coated essential fatty acids help to decrease inflammation. An enteric coating prevents the supplement from being digested until it reaches the desired anatomical destination- in this case, the small intestine.

3. Probiotics and Colustrum based supplements are essential in helping to reestablish healthy immune systems.

4. Plant-based anti-inflammatory supplements such as quercetin, curcumin, boswellia, ashwaganda, ginger and L-Glutatamine. Ask a health professional about other types of plant-based supplements that may be beneficial to you.

At Ann Arbor Holistic Health we are known for providing professional and compassionate care. We strive to guide people towards a comprehensive and holistic healing strategy. Restoring your body to health will restore the quality of your life.

When you first read the words “Enzyme Nutrition,” you might say to yourself, “What’s the big deal? I eat healthy foods. Why do I need Enzyme Nutrition?”

Here’s the answer:

What you eat is important, but it’s what happens to food after you eat it that’s even more important. If your body can’t absorb your food’s essential nutrients because of a compromised digestive system, you can eat the healthiest diet imaginable and still not receive adequate nutrition to keep your body healthy.

Enzyme Nutrition, then, is the process through which we can begin restoring a compromised digestive system. Before we go any further into a discussion of how Enzyme Nutrition works, though, let’s take a look at the function of digestion itself.

housing the majority of the body’s immune system, serving as its defense against disease.

When the digestive system becomes compromised by stress, these critical functions can become impaired and a host of conditions can arise, including:

Allergies (both food and environmental)

Arthritis

Asthma

Bronchitis

Constipation

Diarrhea

Fibromyalgia

Gastro Intestinal Disorders (Crohns ‘s, Colitis, IBS)

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Headaches and migraines

Sinus problems

Skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, and acne

Stomach problems (gastritis, ulcers, acid reflux)

Unresolved Muscular Skeletal Pain

All of these conditions can be difficult to recover from, especially when the body’s ability to heal has already been reduced by the compromised digestive system.

So why can’t the body heal? What is hindering its ability to return to homeostasis, the state of balance wherein all bodily functions are working in harmony? The answer lies in the body’s inability to absorb, assimilate and utilize the nutrients it needs from food as well as to eliminate all the waste associated with digestion. These tasks are critical for the normal healthy functioning of the body. Treatments such as chiropractic and acupuncture can provide temporary relief, but eventually the original symptoms return. Why? Because the core of the body’s healing powers—the digestive system—has been compromised, and until its proper function is restored, its ability to heal will be impaired.

Returning to Well-Being

Every person is affected differently by the intersection of age, gravity, stress, and genetics; each of these factors conspire to deplete our bodies of the vital nutrients we require, and each of us reacts in our own unique way to these situations. In addition, our bodies experience a wide range of stresses on a daily basis: emotional, biomechanical (such as an accident or repetitive sports injury), and biochemical (overexposure to pharmaceuticals, alcohol, or drugs).What happens to the body when it is constantly subjected to these stresses?

The answer, in every case, is that the body is depleted of vital nutrients. When the body doesn’t have what it needs to heal, nourish and return to homeostasis, symptoms of underlying illness arise. You don’t want to chase symptoms—you’ll never catch them. You must treat the illness, not the symptom, and that can’t happen without a proper understanding of the underlying situation.

And that’s where Enzyme Nutrition comes in.

Enzyme Nutrition: The Value of Form and Function

Enzyme Nutrition provides a methodology to help understand what nutritional deficiencies the body is experiencing and how to address them. At its foundation, Enzyme Nutrition is about understanding the relationship between the form and function of the body. Improper function of the body’s various systems such as digestion is reflected in very precise ways in the body’s form. By analyzing and observing the body’s form, we can learn how it is functioning, make the proper adjustments through enzyme supplementation, and empower the body to heal itself to restore health.

There are three steps in the process of assessing the body’s function through its form:

A 24-hour urinalysis

12-hour-fasting reflex exam

A “signs and symptoms” survey

The 24-hour urinalysis is a biochemical analysis that provides insight into the body’s condition by noting what is (and is not) in the urine. If a substance does not appear in the urine, we know the body needs it and is retaining it. Conversely, if there are higher levels of substances than should be present in the urine (plus substances that shouldn’t be there at all), we know the body is eliminating them. If we see undesirable substances in the urine, we know they are in the body, too. The urinalysis is a prognostic test rather than a diagnostic test, in that it can predict what diseases might occur if the situation remains untreated.

At a second appointment, the 12-hour-fasting reflex exam is performed. This thorough assessment measures 30 pressure points that help identify nutritional deficiencies. As each pressure point is manipulated, you are asked for a response. After all points are measured, a plant-based nutritional drink is administered. After you have digested the drink (roughly 45 minutes), the pressure points are retested to see which points duplicate the initial responses.

Lastly, a 10-page “signs and symptoms” survey is completed. The signs and symptoms survey gathers a wide range of information about your health, habits, and history. It starts with the basic information like medical history and diet, then goes deeper with questions about your immune system and your ability to heal, your state of mind, and digestion.

These three tests, taken as a whole, provide a complete overview of the body’s condition. At a follow-up appointment, we present a complete “statement of findings,” explain the results, and suggest the appropriate Enzyme Therapy to address the conditions revealed. Depending on the condition, it can take from several weeks to several months of Enzyme Therapy to achieve resolution. Recommended enzymes can be obtained at local pharmacies; the Acupuncture Center of Ann Arbor does not sell enzyme supplements to assure we have only your health in mind.

The Science of Enzymes

With the importance of enzymes established, it is helpful to learn a little more about them. Enzymes are present in all living animal and plant cells. They are the primary motivators of all natural biochemical processes; their function is to catalyze chemical reactions within the cells so that all physiological processes can occur. Life literally cannot exist without enzymes because they are the essential components of every chemical reaction in the body.

When it comes to digestion, the human body makes approximately 22 digestive enzymes. Among them are protease (capable of breaking down protein), amylase (for breaking down carbohydrates), and lipase (for breaking down fats). When taken with food, they break down food according to their specific function; when taken on an empty stomach, however, enzymes can perform additional essential functions.

Protease taken on an empty stomach, for example, will affect any virus. It is especially effective in “killing off” herpes zoster, which is the cause of shingles. Amylase will break down histamines that are created as a result of an immune reaction, while lipase will break down lactic acid that results from overuse of muscles and is often the cause of muscle strain.

It’s important to realize that discomforts in the body don’t happen in a vacuum. For every symptom, there is a primary cause. Enzyme Nutrition provides the methodology to help us understand the intersection of age, gravity, stress, and genetics and how it affects the bodies in relation to life.

Take Command of Your Health

The goal of Enzyme Nutrition is to identify what enzymes the body is lacking and then supplement them to assist the body in healing, ultimately enabling it to return to homeostasis on its own. Unfortunately, many people rely on dietary supplements to aid in health and healing, but in most cases, those supplements pass through the body unabsorbed. Enzyme Nutrition gives your digestive system the assistance it needs to extract the nutrients required for both nourishment and healing.

Addressing digestive problems is the first step in restoring well-being. Eating a healthy diet is important, but even more important is what happens to your food after you eat it. That’s where the value of Enzyme Nutrition can be realized.

Enzyme Nutrition can be an essential part of helping your body return to the path of healing and better health. When properly supported and nourished, the body can use its own powers to find renewed health and improved function. By restoring the missing nutritional components of healing, you can break the cycle of illness and enjoy true, vibrant health.

Food allergies can affect us in unexpected ways. Phil, a 63 year old patient at Ann Arbor Holistic Health, had a chronic cough for nearly half his life. He worked with people every day, and the cough interfered with his ability to perform his job. Sometimes he would be forced to leave work early, other times he would wake to the sound of his own wheezing. At the age of 48, he began seeing a pulmonologist. His pulmonologist was extremely knowledgeable. However, the medications that were prescribed only numbed Phil’s discomfort. Nothing he tried provided any long term relief. When Phil was recently hospitalized with bronchitis and pneumonia, he accepted that he would live with his cough forever. Frustrated, but still intent on improving his quality of life, Phil began to look into other influencing factors. He started to read more about how food allergies may be affecting his respiratory system. Journal articles and websites continuously highlighted the correlation between the two, and Phil decided to schedule a consultation at Ann Arbor Holistic Health. During his consultation he learned about food allergy testing, and decided to get tested. His results were positive for a significant number of foods. Phil removed these allergens from his diet, and his respiratory symptoms resolved themselves within a month. Phil has been cough-free ever since.

What is an allergy? An allergy is the immune systems response to a protein usually found in a food, such as peanuts, eggs, wheat or milk that it perceives as a foreign body.

How do I know if I have an allergy? Just because you don't exhibit obvious signs of a food allergy like hives or digestive problems doesn't mean you are allergy-free. The immune systems response to allergies can appear up to 72 hours after digestion, and in many different places throughout the body, so it is important to watch for these 13 warning signs:

13 Warning Signs:

1. Tiredness, drowsiness, no energy. Feeling out of sorts is often correlated with an unknown food allergy. If your bodies immune system is warding off an allergen, there is less energy left for our busy schedules.

2. Frequent headache or migraines. Digestive inflammation due to an allergen can result in headaches. The headaches may not disappear until the dietary issue is addressed.

3. Stomach bloating, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence. These symptoms, as well as Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Syndrome (IBS), are common reactions to a food allergy.

4. Mouth Ulcers. The trademark sign of a stressed immune system. Since your immune system is busy combatting the allergen, it forgets to protect you from infections and viruses.

5. Chronic cough, bronchitis, asthma, colds and 'flu'. Respiratory conditions are caused by inflammation in the lungs and nasal passages.

6. Eczema, psoriasis, and chronic skin problems. It may be surprising that food can affect our skin, but inflammation from an over-worked immune system can manifest externally, too.

7. Aching joints, backache. The inflammation of our digestive tract can settle in the leg joints or the spine, which causes great pain. Unfortunately, the medicine we take can numb us, but until we address the cause we will never be fully pain free.

8. Gradual weight change. An unrecognized food allergy can affect your thyroid gland which disrupts your metabolism. The thyroid hormones aid in the processing of food into energy or into fat. If the signals are malfunctioning, you may “store” when you should “burn” and vice versa. Some people who can eat whatever they want are simply not processing the food they consume, and therefore not receiving any of the nutritional benefit.

9. Tinea or Yeast (Candida) infections. Fungal infections such as thrush, jock itch, ring worm, athletes foot and yeast infections are signs of food allergies. The immune system is busy fighting an allergen and is not as strong in preventing fungal ailments. If this is you, deal with the Yeast issue first- by ridding your body of Candida (the fungal infection)- then tackle the underlying food intolerance.

10. Clumsiness, lack of coordination. Food allergies can cause inflammation not only in the joints and organs but the nervous system as well. The nervous system controls the bodies muscles, so if an untreated food allergy is affecting us we may become clumsy. This is often noticed among children, but switching to the correct diet can improve their behavior dramatically.

11. Miscarriage, infertility. Unchecked food allergy can interfere with a couples ability to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy.

12. Hemorrhoids and Ear pain. These 2 symptoms are often linked to milk allergies.

13. Cravings, addictions. Is there a food you cannot resist? Believe it or not, addictions are another sign of undiagnosed food allergy.

IgE versus IgA or IgG Phil could not believe how much allergies affect the entire body. He soon learned that allergies weren't just to things like peanuts and bee stings, and that there are actually many different kinds of allergic reactions. There are two main allergic responses that are important for us to understand- IgE, and non-IgE (IgA and IgG).

IgE vs. IgA & IgG Allergic Reaction Table

Causes Most food allergies are acquired not inherited, and the most common food allergies are IgA or IgG. The causes of these adverse immune reactions are varied. Some develop sensitivities due to repeated exposure especially in large quantities, and others react to pesticides and herbicides combining with the natural chemicals in food.

The Immune System in Our Digestive Tract How can something as seemingly innocuous as food affect us in such startling ways? Interestingly enough, 70% of our immune system is located in our digestive tract. This means our body strategically places its largest defense inside our intestines- the front line is in our gut! Part of this immune defense is our lymphatic system, 50% of which is located in our digestive tract, as well. The lymphatic system is a network whose primary function is to create immune cells, in addition to moving fluid away from our bodies tissue, absorb fat and move fat into the circulatory system. The lymphatic system is similar to the circulatory system, except instead of shuttling blood, it shuttles a clear liquid called lymph which is full of white blood cells. What we breathe and what we drink has not been as threatening to our species survival as the food we ingest. Because of our bodies preemptive and highly developed defense system, even foods that are good for us can be seen as potential threats.

Leaky Gut Syndrome & its affect on food allergies Food allergens trigger inflammation in the digestive tract which leads to the many symptoms listed above. Leaky gut syndrome refers to digestive disturbances and infections caused by severe inflammation of the intestine. This inflammation creates increased permeability in the walls of the intestines. Partially digested food enters into the blood stream through small openings between the cells in the intestinal lining where it is met by a hostile immune system. The body produces an increasing amount of antibodies to fight the food we eat, and the food bound with the antibody continually pass from the intestine to the blood stream. By removing the allergen, we can heal our “leaky” guts and begin the process of improved health.

What can we do if we suspect we have an allergy? There is good news. We can successfully eliminate the symptoms by discovering what foods serve as our triggers. By excluding the trigger food from our diet, the intestinal inflammation quickly recedes and the symptoms disappear. But how do we know what foods cause us trouble? Phil began investigating different diagnostic tactics.

1. ELISA The Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay panel (ELISA) is a blood test that examines 96 of the most common foods. The food categories tested include: animal products, dairy, meat and fowl, grains, nuts, vegetable, seafood and fruits By undergoing the ELISA test, patients are able to measure both IgE, IgA and IgG immune responses. Ann Arbor Holistic Health provides a simple means that combines both tests.

2. Supplements and Vitamins Vitamin D, essential fatty acids, and probiotics are recommended supplements that help speed up our recovery process. Supplements such as quercetin and curcumin are plant-based herbs that lessen inflammation and ease our symptoms. Once we know what food is causing us problems, we can jump start our healing with some of these natural remedies.

3. RAST Most Doctors do an based IgE blood test called RAST (short for radioallergosorbent test). Though this method is extremely accurate in determining IgE allergies, it does not address the issue of non-IgE allergies at all. At Ann Arbor Holistic Health, we complete the RAST alongside the ELISA for more comprehensive results.

4. Elimination Diets Though elimination diets are accurate and cost-effective, they involve a long and arduous process. Most food intolerances are caused by the following foods: Dairy, wheat, egg, soy, peanuts, shellfish, and tree nuts. Removing one of the above from your diet can theoretically indicate the allergen, but as we have seen with Leaky Gut Syndrome, we often have more than one allergen due to years and years of damaging inflammation. Testing for multiple-allergens is very difficult to do with this method.

5. Stool Samples Stool samples are excellent barometers of human health. Since the majority of the body's immune cells are present in the intestinal tract, a stool sample is the best place to search for evidence of food allergies. However, stool samples are messy and unpleasant.

6. Skin Prick Tests Skin prick tests, one of the most common methods for IgE immune responses, can be painful and do not detect non-IgE food allergies. They can also be inaccurate with a high level of false positives.

Conclusion It surprised Phil to think maybe a food allergy was affecting his respiratory system, but after further study he understood that food has an enormous influence on our health. After completing the ELISA 96 allergen food panel and RAST test, it was quickly determined that he had food allergies to eggs, dairy and gluten. After avoiding these foods for a month, Phil's cough completely disappeared. Comprehending his body’s relationship to food was the key to unlocking true health and wellness.

“You are what you eat. Or, even more accurately, you are what you absorb,” says Dr. John Wycoff, an osteopath based out of East Lansing who believes hormonal balance, allergies and diet are integral to health. As reactionary medicine and over-usage of prescribed chemicals fail to alleviate our pain and discomfort, more and more physicians are embracing holistic approaches to healing. Through a deeper understanding of what our bodies do and do not absorb, and how these physiological responses affect us, we can take charge of our wellness and move towards a brighter, more fulfilling future. If you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms, please call us.

Please call 734-222-8210 to schedule a free consultation and evaluation. At Digestive Health Ann Arbor we are known for providing professional and compassionate care. We strive to guide people towards a comprehensive and holistic healing strategy. Restoring your body to health will restore the quality of your life.

Digestive Health Ann Arbor

We offer a comprehensive holistic approach to helping people facilitate the natural and instinctive healing process of the human body. Using state of the art testing we can diagnose those conditions that arise from a compromised digestive system and begin your journey of healing today.